Dow sets three records, qualifies for state meet in nine events

Published
7:00 pm EST, Tuesday, December 6, 2005

Dow Highs second-ranked swim team set three pool records, won eight of 12 events, and qualified for the Division 2 state finals in nine events all in one night Tuesday, beating ninth-ranked Alma 106-77 at the Chargers pool in Dows season opener.

Brad Craig broke Greg Stricklers 2001 pool record in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 1:56.29  nearly two seconds better than Stricklers record time of 1:58.20 in 2001.

Meanwhile, Gabe Strickler swam a pool-record 47.65 in the 100 freestyle, beating Trent Stumphs 1982 mark of 48.01, while Craig broke his own pool record in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 58.75. Craigs previous pool-record time was 58.89.

All three pool-record times were good enough to qualify for the state finals.

Dows Mike Pankratz also qualified for state in both the 200 and 500 freestyle, placing second in those events in 1:49.62 and 4:57.76, respectively. Strickler qualified for state in the 100 backstroke, winning that event in 53.63, and Zach Lee qualified for state in the 100 butterfly, placing second in 58.25.

The Chargers 200 medley relay team of Strickler, Craig, Ian Smith, and Matt Grandjean qualified for state after posting a winning time of 1:39.81; and the Dow 400 free relay team of Pankratz, Lee, Strickler, and Craig qualified for state after winning with a time of 3:22.13.

Also taking first for Dow were Grandjean in the 50 free (24.18) and Nick Miller in diving (276.35).

Taking second for the Chargers were Arthur Mattos in diving (127.90) and the 200 free relay team of Grandjean, Steve Pankratz, Smith, and Mike Pankratz (1:38.03).

The 200 medley relay team of Justin Arnosky, Christopher Weideman, Lee, and Ian Hotchkiss (1:52.16) finished third for Dow, as did Lee in the 200 IM (2:12.54); Steve Pankratz in the 50 free (25.82); Jacob Kocan in diving (117.15); Smith in the 100 fly (58.78); Hotchkiss in the 100 free (56.00); the 200 free relay team of Weideman, Zach Myers, Kevin Carney, and Michael Knoff (1:46.52); Hotchkiss in the 100 back (1:05.22); and the 400 free relay team of Steve Pankratz, Carney, Weideman, and Hotchkiss (3:56.76).

Alma won four events, as John Fruitiger was first in the 200 free (1:49.03) and in the 500 free (4:56.07); Scott Biebuyck was first in the 100 fly (56.48); and the team of Chris Reznich, Kyle Montgomery, Drew Kennedy, and Fruitiger was first in the 200 free relay (1:35.30).